The City of Galveston’s Cultural Arts Commission has announced a call for proposals for two permanent public art projects with total funding of up to $100,000. This marks the city’s third year of commissioning public art projects, though the budget for the first two years was only up to $5,000 per project.
According to the application form, the proposed projects are not limited to traditional public art pieces, but can include any artworks that would exist in the public sphere and be accessible to the public. As such, the call is open to visual, literary, performing, and media arts. Individual artists or artist collectives are welcome to submit proposals. Artists can partner with an organization for their project, however, the City will not make a grant directly to the organization. There are no geographical limitations on applicants, but local artists will be prioritized.
“Absolute Equality,” a mural painted in Galveston by Reginald Adams and a team of five artists. Photo credit: Elizabeth Trovall, Houston Public Media.
Funds for the two projects the Galveston Cultural Arts Commission is seeking proposals for are split: up to $70,000 is earmarked for a project in the city’s Downtown District, and up to $30,000 is for one or more projects that can be located anywhere within the city limits. For the purposes of this call, the Downtown District is defined as between 20th and 28th Streets, from Harborside to Broadway.
Proposals will be evaluated by the Galveston Cultural Arts Commission and recommended to the City Council for final approval. The criteria used to evaluate the proposals is as follows:
Feasibility
– On time completion
– Completion on budget
– Maintenance timeline
– Environmental impact
Artistic Merit
– Aesthetic consideration
– Artistic strength
Accessibility
– Potential impact on audience
– Visibility
Community
– Demonstration of community support
Applications are due on Sunday, April, 9. The commission will vote on proposals in July or August and the City Council will vote in August. Selected projects should be completed prior to September 2024. For more information and to apply, see the application form.
